All the world's America
Arlibido
Independent
2000
13 tracks
This young band from Halifax, Nova Scotia, has an interesting retro sound, retrieving bits and pieces of their parents' music and bringing these sounds into the new century. Just outside the mainstream, this fusion of punk, hard rock, reggae, and ska shows up in popular bands across Canada, from Alberta's Lost Action Heroes to the Maritimes' Arlibido. The music of Arlibido epitomizes this sub-genre.
Much of the influence for this music appears to come from the late-Seventies. Especially in the vocal style of lead singer Tim MacNeill, several songs appear to be strongly influenced by the early work of Elvis Costello. While harder edged, the reggae style that pervades this release harks back to Seventies groups like Blondie and The Police. Even the harder rock riffs have the sound of classic rock from the Seventies. It's the particular mix of these elements plus some disparate hiphop bits that bring this music into the 21st Century.
Arlibido is still a young band that need to grow and get more control over its material. This is especially demonstrated in their interpretation of the standard "Unchained Melody" at the end of the set. Although dating to a pre-rock era, this song has been recorded by many rock and roll artists including Roy Hamilton and The Righteous Brothers with great success.
Arlibido's arrangement of "Unchained Melody" is an uneasy mix of an Elvis Costello vocal laid over music alternating between a reggae rhythm reminiscent of Blondie and a driving hard rock all accented with sporadic doowop backup vocals and ending with more than two minutes instrumental with a hiphop vocal behind. It's a clever treatment of this song, but at times the elements don't hang together as well as they might. It also feels as though there should be some additional sung vocals toward the end of that long instrumental bit.
Starting with a quiet vocal that could almost have been sung two decades ago by Elvis Costello, "BulShat" is the song that most reminds me of Costello songs I was hearing around 1980. As with most of the songs on this release, there is a sense of restraint here in both the music and the lyrics that suggest that this band is still uncertain of itself and not willing to take too many chances.
"Jello" is of interest mostly because it is driven by a beat that reminds me, especially at the beginning, of Wilson Pickett's 1965 hit, "In The Midnight Hour." Beginning very much like then rhythm track of Wilson's classic song, the beat gradually slides into a near reggae sound that supports the jumpy vocal. Throughout this release, there can be found other artifacts of Motown and other Sixties music.
All the world's America is a showcase for a creative Canadian rock trio. While this release illustrates how far this band has come, Alibido also has a way to grow. The lyrics could use more control and more depth. The arrangements, while clever, at times seem to be more accidental than controlled. By the same token, while there are allusions to a variety of previous artists and their songs, this feels more accidental that purposeful. Even so, there's enough here to make this a band to watch.
At the time that All the world's America was released, Arlibido was nominated for Alternative artist of the year at the East Coast Music Awards, no small honour and one that clearly indicates the potential of these young musicians.. Unfortunately, like Lost Action Heroes and other bands in this sub-genre, Arlibido was short-lived and broke up after only a few years together. Too bad. I, for one, enjoy the creativity inherent to this diverse rock sound.
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Review written: March 7, 2005
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